VFW Post 2100 invites veterans and families to St. Patrick’s Day Open House

By Kirk Boxleitner, Marysville Globe Reporter

EVERETT — Veterans of Foreign Wars Old Guard Post 2100 is inviting veterans and their families to see what the VFW is all about during its St. Patrick’s Day Open House on March 17 from 1-6 p.m. at 2711 Oaks Ave. in Everett.

Post 2100 Cmdr. Donald Wischmann explained that visitors can tour the post and talk to its members, as well as to representatives of not only the VFW, but also the Ladies’ and Men’s Auxiliaries, the Veterans Administration and a number of other groups.

“Our main concern is helping veterans and their families, but to do that, we need more members,” Wischmann said. “Post 2100 has more than 840 members, but about 700 of those are folks who served in World War II and Korea, and within about 10 years, we’re not going to be doing much as a post if we can’t replenish that membership.”

Wischmann touted the VFW as a means of connecting service members both past and present with a number of useful resources, whether they’re deployed or retired. He noted that his post has even “adopted” the 477th Transportation Company at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Marysville, and has sent word of the open house out to 46 commands around the area, so he expects quite a bit of turnout for the event.

“We know people will be coming armed with questions about their VA benefits,” Wischmann said. “We know that our veterans are concerned about the amount of time it takes to get their claims processed and approved, which is why we’ll have representatives of the VA here to answer those questions.”

Wischmann worries about the membership of the VFW because he wants to ensure that the group will retain a strong voice in Washington, D.C., to keep veterans’ concerns on the forefront of legislators’ priorities, but if too many older members pass away without younger members stepping in to fill their roles, he sees difficult times ahead for the organization and those whom it seeks to serve.

“I’m a Vietnam veteran,” said Wischmann, who retired from the U.S. Navy. “I’m 60 years old, and I’m one of the youngest members of this post.”

Wischmann recognizes that certain stereotypes may exist in the public’s perception of VFW posts, but he assured veterans and civilians alike that VFW Post 2100 is active in the surrounding community, seeking out ways to benefit cities and towns in addition to those who have served.

The Post 2100 St. Patrick’s Day Open House will feature not only a meal of corned beef and cabbage from 4-6 p.m., for a $10 suggested donation, but also a guest appearance by Edmonds’ Michael Regan, whose portraits for the Fallen Heroes Project showcase military men and women who have given their all.

“They’re just sketches, but they look like miniature wallet-sized photos,” Wischmann said. “He just finished drawing the kids and teachers who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting.”

Children at welcome at the St. Patrick’s Day Open House, and for more information, you may contact Wischmann by phone at 425-252-2100, or via email at VFWpost2100@yahoo.com.

President of Quinault Nation to attend VAWA signing ceremony

Reported by Indianz.com

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Fawn Sharp, the president of the Quinault Nation of Washington, will attend the signing of S.47, a bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, on Thursday. Sharp was invited to join President Barack Obama for the ceremony. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else,” she said.

The bill includes landmark provisions that recognize tribal jurisdiction over non-Indians who commit domestic violence offenses. “The very moment that President Obama signs that bill will be one that should be memorialized in history as a turning point in Indian/non-Indian relations in this country,” Sharp said.

American Indian and Alaska Native women suffer from the highest rates of violence, according to government statistics. Most of the perpetrators are non-Indian.

“Our tribal police will be able to arrest, and our tribal courts will be [able] to legally prosecute those who have literally gotten away with murder and rape for years,” Sharp said.

“This is a time to celebrate a hard-earned victory. We are so grateful for those who have helped make this happen—the tribal leaders as well as the congressional leaders and, of course, the President. He stood up for this, strongly and consistently, and I am honored to be able to join him at the signing,” Sharp concluded.

The ceremony is due to take place at the main Interior Department building on Thursday afternoon.

Why Native American Art Doesn’t Belong in the American Museum of Natural History

The Hall of Plains Indians exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History. Source: amnh.org
The Hall of Plains Indians exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History. Source: amnh.org

Katherine Abu Hadal, Indian Country Today Media Network

Natural history museums—they are all over the US and abroad too. They house amazing dinosaur fossils, exotic hissing cockroaches, and wondrous planetariums—right next to priceless human-designed art and artifacts created by Native peoples of the Americas.

Like me, you might wonder why these designed objects are juxtaposed with objects of nature such as redwood trees and precious metal exhibits. Yes, of course art is part of the natural world that we live in—but then, why are there no Picasso paintings or Degas sculptures on display in the American Museum of Natural History?

How is a Haida mask different from an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus in its precision and intent? They both belong to the category that we call art and they deserve to be exhibited in a similar manner.

When Native American, Pacific, and African art and artifact is lumped in with natural history exhibits, it sends a message that these groups are a part of the “natural” world. That the art they produce is somehow less cultured and developed than the western art canon. It also sends the message that they are historical, an element of the romantic past, when in reality these peoples are alive and well, with many traditions intact and new traditions happening all the time.

Another thing we don’t need in order to look at and understand Native American art are dioramas of Native Americans in the actual exhibit. Dioramas only serve to confuse the public and enforce already present stereotypes. It’s offensive and demeaning and it detracts from the art. There are no dioramas of Greek or Roman life in fine art museums. Dioramas can muddy the experience by placing a contemporary interpretation of a life that we do not have firsthand knowledge of. Furthermore, they are simply tacky, taking an art display into the realm of Madame Tussaud’s .

How exactly the museum acquired its collections is another important question and one not answered by my research. The museum website does note the following about its anthropology collections:

“The founding of the Museum’s anthropology program in 1873 is linked by many with the origins of research anthropology in the United States. With the enthusiastic financial support of Museum President Morris K. Jesup, Boas undertook to document and preserve the record of human cultural variation before it disappeared under the advance of Europe’s Industrial Revolution. Their expeditions resulted in the formation during the late 19th and early 20th centuries of the core of the Museum’s broad and outstanding collection of artifacts.” (American Museum of Natural History, retrieved 2.15.2013)

Let’s consider other ways Native American art could be exhibited to the benefit of the public and Native peoples themselves. First, ancient art and artifact could be displayed next to contemporary Native art in order to show that Native cultures are not just a thing of the past, but are in fact living and dynamic. Or curators could more deeply consider the way these objects were used in context—that is, elaborate on the significance of the pieces to their makers; certainly they were not designed for the purpose of one day sitting in a natural history museum. As another option, the pieces could be placed under the control of contemporary Native groups who would decide how they should be exhibited. That has been met with controversy in some cases.

I know that it will not be easy or convenient to redesign the exhibition of Native art, but the current state of display at the American Museum of Natural History is embarrassing and ineffective in communicating the complexity of non-western art. The American Museum of Natural History and its collections are a product of an era much different than the present day. It’s time that the collections reflected the wishes of their creators and also current aesthetic and ethnic discourse.

Katherine Abu Hadal is a designer and researcher who loves learning and teaching about other cultures. One of her interests is Native American/Indigenous art. You can read more of her thoughts on Native art at nativeamericanartschool.com, where this piece was first published as “Why Native American Art doesn’t belong in the American Museum of Natural History (and neither does African or Asian art).”

 

Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/02/20/why-native-american-art-doesnt-belong-american-museum-natural-history-147792

Trends in Indian Gaming: What’s Ahead?

“Good design can provide the environment that makes people want to stay and play, and the more unique the design the greater the distance people will travel to see it.” —Thalden Boyd Emery Architects
“Good design can provide the environment that makes people want to stay and play, and the more unique the design the greater the distance people will travel to see it.” —Thalden Boyd Emery Architects

Lee Allen, Indian Country Today Media Network

This may not be the true dawning of a new age, but Indian casinos are poised on the precipice of change —one foot anchored in time-honored methods of success, the other embracing modernity.

The move toward innovation includes a transition to progressive design with contemporary and green aesthetics, as well as finding creative ways to reach a younger audience keen on social media.

Casino owners need to straddle the chasm of traditional ways and new, understanding the social aspects of both segments of the market to keep the current crowd happy while attracting the next generation of gamers.

“We can’t see the future clearly yet, but we know change is inevitable,” said architect Nick Schoenfeldt, vice president at Thalden Boyd Emery Architects. “We need to continue serving today’s gaming public in the existing first generation of gaming facilities built in the late 1980s even as we design and build new attractions for tomorrow.”

Comments by architects, designers, contractors, owners and operators resonated at the 6th annual Native Nation Events Tribal Casino & Hotel Development Conference, February 21-22, at the Pascua Yaqui-owned Casino del Sol Resort Hotel in Tucson, Arizona. The conversational buzz was heightened by a rare occurrence—a snow storm that turned desert cacti into a winter wonderland.

Panel moderator Ronn Lansky, the business development director for the Detroit-based PENTA Building Group, noted that over the past several decades, the design of casino floors hadn’t changed strikingly. Then he cited the current trend of “building landmark buildings that will affect generations to come.”

Other attendees echoed a major voice of the industry, Casino Design magazine, which emphasized in an April 2010 article, The Brave New World of Design and Construction: An Industry Round Table, that casinos need to look “clean, edgy, contemporary”—the predominant visual appeal. The magazine quoted another design and construction expert who said, “We must dazzle the eye and soothe the senses.”

Panelists at the February conference specifically cited the advent of smaller slot banks and wider aisles at newer casinos intended to provide a more intimate sense of gaming—the same aura as that of a lounge.

“Casino floors are evolving to be more social and community-focused and you need to understand your market and design the floor with customer segments in mind,” said Janet Beronio, general manager of Harrah’s Rincon Casino & Resort.

“We used to have long, long banks of machines—essentially a slot warehouse, but change in machine spacing is now evident,” Beronio said. “We once dedicated 20-to-25-square feet to a bank of eight slots; now we’re seeing 30-square feet in a zone format anchored by carousels and dedicated pathways. The casino floor still has compelling content, but the feeling is now more community and social.”

The cost to create that feeling is not cheap, according to C.J. Graham, general manager of 2,500 employees at the Lincoln, California-based Thunder Valley Casino, which recently underwent a $700 million facelift (while continuing operations with minimal incremental disruption).  “At the end of the day, you still need to show a profit,” he said.

Graham has a base demographic of age 50-plus customers, but also a growing following in the 21-to-30-year-old group. “We still have folks who love the old Red, White and Blue reels, but there’s a tech-savvy element coming along that we can ping on their cell phones and make the younger visitor special offers as they come through the door. The generational change won’t happen overnight, it will take decades, but it’s already underway.

“Even with the modern side of technology emerging, we won’t lose the energy that allows casino floors to be successful,” adds Beronio. “Brick and mortar sites still have the energy of community, people cheering for each other, and that will still appeal to multi-tasking tech-savvy youth.”

Other panelists like Osage Nation Chief John Red Eagle know that casino floor designs and technologies are forever adapting and need to stay relevant. Tribes need to capitalize on up-to-date technology like energy-saving geo-thermal capabilities. “We want the best possible development we can produce with the money we have,” he said.

Fellow panelist Jamie Fullmer (Yavapai Apache), chairman and CEO of Blue Stone Strategy Group, which advises tribes in making strategic decisions for financial growth and sustainability, summed up the challenge many tribes will face when desires meet feasibility and financing: “Here’s our dream balanced with a pocketbook reality.”

Those realities range from incorporating complex and still developing technology to making changes like widening aisles and adding more restaurants for a diverse clientele.

“Regardless of the renovation, addition, or new build,” said Graham, “you can’t diminish the guest experience…you can’t just send guests home…so you need to minimize the disruption and adjust on the fly while building a better casino for tomorrow.”

 

Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/03/05/trends-indian-gaming-whats-ahead-147999

Tulalip Marina gets a makeover

NACTEP students Lisa Gable, Gary Newall, Kanoa Riveira, Burleigh Snyder are working to rebuild the deck at the Tulalip Marina
NACTEP students Lisa Gable, Gary Newall, Kanoa Riveira, Burleigh Snyder are working to rebuild the deck at the Tulalip Marina

By Jeannie Briones, Tulalip News staff

Fourteen students of the Native American Career and Technical Education Program (NACTEP) are working to demolish and rebuild the deck located at the Tulalip Marina.

“We are demoing the old deck and replacing it with new material. We are adding a new wheelchair ramp, rails, and new stairs,” said William Burchett, NACTEP Site Supervisor.

Working on this project allows the students to use their recently learned skills in basic construction, use of tools and safety concerns.

NACTEP instructor Mark Newland says that with the help of this great crew, the project is going smoothly and, depending on the weather, they hope to finish by the end of the week.

“I am excited to be able to rebuild this deck, it was pretty rotten. I’m glad we came out to fix it,” said Rocky Gorham, NACTEP student.

For more information about NACTEP, please contact Mark Newland at 425-268-9145. The next quarter begins April 8th.

William Burchett, Gary Morrison, and Rocky Gorham.
William Burchett, Gary Morrison, and Rocky Gorham.

Everett Community College Running Start Information Sessions March 19, March 26, April 16

EVERETT, Wash. – High school students and their parents can learn about Everett Community College’s Running Start program at information sessions March 19, March 26 and April 16.

On March 19, the information session is at 6 p.m. at EvCC’s East County Campus, 14090 Fryelands Blvd. SE, Suite 373 in Monroe.

The March 26 and April 16 information sessions are at 6 p.m. at EvCC’s Henry M. Jackson Center Auditorium, 2000 Tower St. in Everett.

College staff will discuss how to apply, options for full and part-time enrollment, student life and special program options, such as the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) program on the Everett waterfront that emphasizes local marine research.

Running Start is a partnership program between colleges and high schools. The program is available to eligible high school juniors and seniors. Students can apply college credit to their high school graduation requirements. Tuition is free for up to 15 credits per quarter.

ORCA is an early college academy for high school students, who can earn up to two years of college credit for free while completing their high school education. Most students graduate with an associate’s degree in addition to a high school diploma.

In addition to attending one of these sessions, EvCC encourages students to contact their high school counselors.

The priority deadline to apply for Running Start at Everett Community College for Fall quarter 2013 is May 1. EvCC serves more than 900 high school students through Running Start.

For more information about Running Start or other EvCC programs, contact EvCC’s High School Relations Office at highschoolrelations@everettcc.edu or 425-388-9073.

Hookah lounge can’t allow indoor smoking

Judge rules in favor of Snohomish Health District
Snohomish County Health District
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. – Hookah lounges are just like bars, restaurants and other businesses when it comes to the state law that prohibits smoking indoors.
 
Washington’s Smoking in Public Places law, or SIPP, was passed by voters in 2005 and prohibits smoking in public places and places of employment.
 
On Feb. 26, following a two-day trial in Snohomish County Superior Court, downtown Everett’s Hideout Hookah Lounge, also known as the Wetmore Café, was ordered to comply with the law by prohibiting indoor smoking by its patrons. In addition, the court levied fines of $89,100 against the business owners for “intentionally and repeatedly” violating the law after numerous warnings and an official Health Officer’s Order from the Snohomish Health District, which brought the lawsuit. The fine was based on $100 per day per violation..
 
A hookah is a glass pipe filled with water that is used for smoking flavored tobacco, often by several people at once. Hookah is a growing trend that has the attention of public health because it attracts young people to a dangerous habit.
 
“Smoke is smoke,” testified Snohomish Health District Health Officer Dr. Gary Goldbaum. “Hookah tobacco may smell sweet and be cheaper than cigarettes, but it is no less harmful or addictive. Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in the United States.
 
“We are glad this ruling makes it clear that hookah is not a potential business opportunity – it’s an unhealthy behavior that people can choose to do in private, but they can’t expose other people to it,” Goldbaum said.
 
Health District staff made several initial visits to the Hideout Hookah Lounge in February 2012, shortly after the business opened as the first of its kind in Snohomish County. Staff attempted to educate the
owners about SIPP requirements such as prohibiting indoor smoking, smoking at least 25 feet from doors, windows and air intakes, and posting “no smoking” signs which were provided by the Health District. City of Everett police and the state Liquor Control Board were also involved in seeking to enforce the state’s no indoor smoking ban
 
The court determined that smoking in the Hideout Hookah Lounge resulted in smoke permeating adjoining public uses within the building, directly in violation of SIPP’s goal of protecting people from secondhand smoke. The ruling also established that charging a membership fee or providing a membership card does not make the Lounge a private club. In addition, since it was established that the Hideout Hookah Lounge is a public place and a for-profit business, employees need to be protected from secondhand smoke under the SIPP law. Workers are defined as employees under state law even if they “volunteer” for no pay.
 
Thirteen follow-up inspection visits and numerous letters and notices directing the business to stop allowing indoor smoking were issued by the Health District before it filed the lawsuit in June 2012.
 
“It’s important that we provide a level playing field for all businesses that comply with the law,” explained Snohomish Health District Tobacco Program and Healthy Communities specialist Ann-Gale Peterson.
 
Snohomish Health District officials continue to work with county and city staff to ensure that potential business owners and code enforcement officers understand that SIPP prohibits smoking in all public places and in places of employment. 
 
“Our goal is to educate and gain compliance with businesses through cooperation,” Peterson said. “We always hope to avoid court action and consider it a last resort when all other options for enforcement have failed,” she continued.
 
To report SIPP violations or learn more about local tobacco programs, call the Snohomish Health District Tobacco Resource Line at 425.339.5237. The state Tobacco Quit Line may be reached at 1.800.QUITNOW (800.784.8669).
 
Established in 1959, the Snohomish Health District works for a safer and healthier Snohomish County through disease prevention, health promotion, and protection from environmental threats. Find more information about the Health Board and the Health District at http://www.snohd.org.

Lincoln’s Birthday Special to Treaty Tribes

“Being Frank”

By Billy Frank Jr., Chairman, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission

OLYMPIA – We’ve been hearing a lot about Abraham Lincoln in recent months after the release of the movie about how he abolished slavery by pushing the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution through Congress.

Not many people know it, but Lincoln’s birthday on Feb. 12 also holds a special place in the hearts of the treaty Indian tribes in western Washington.

It was on that day in 1974 that federal Judge George Boldt handed down his landmark ruling in U.S. v. Washington that upheld our treaty-reserved fishing rights and established us as co-managers of the salmon resource.

Although he was ready to rule sooner, Judge Boldt purposely delayed the court proceedings so that he could deliver his decision on the birthday of one of the greatest presidents we’ve ever had, a president who upheld the basic human rights of all people. And that’s what Judge Boldt did. He upheld our rights, and for that we will always be grateful.

It’s been 39 years now since Boldt’s decision, and things have changed a lot since then.

  • More than 1 million people have moved into western Washington, making a big impact on our natural resources.
  • Herring populations in Puget Sound – an important food for salmon – have shrunk to a small fraction of former levels.
  • Our floods and droughts have gotten worse because of climate change and changes we’ve made to our landscape.
  • We’ve lost nearly all of our old-growth forests, native prairies and salt marshes.
  • We’ve also lost most of our salmon harvest. Ongoing damage and destruction to salmon habitat have led to tribal harvest levels that are lower than they were in 1974, and this trend isn’t showing signs of improvement.

Nonetheless, we are hopeful as we begin planning for the 40th anniversary of the Boldt decision next year.

As part of the celebration, a pair of movies that focus on the treaty fishing rights struggle were recently released by our friends at Salmon Defense, a non-profit organization working to turn the tide for salmon.

The first is “As Long as the Rivers Run,” the fundamental documentary about the Fish Wars of the 1960s and 70s by Carol Burns and Hank Adams. They generously donated the film to Salmon Defense so that it can be preserved and shared. The second movie is “Back to the River,” which was produced by Salmon Defense to provide additional perspectives on treaty rights and the natural resources management challenges we face today.

Both of these movies are available for free by contacting Salmon Defense at salmondefense.org or by calling (360) 528-4308.

Checklist of what to do in the garden in March

Published Monday, March 4, 2013, 12:01 a.m.in the Everett Herald, Mudrakers Blog: Digging into all kinds of gardening

By Steve Smith

March is a very busy month in a gardener’s world. There is much to do, so let’s get with it.

Lawns: I continue to be amazed at how well organic lawn foods work. Yes, they seem expensive if you just look at the price on the bag, but they last three to four times as long as the commercial ones and improve the soil. Maybe it is time for you to kick the Scotts Turf Builder habit and start using these all natural and organic feeds. Most independent garden centers will have a turf expert on staff that can help guide you through this transition.

Pruning: Yes, March is the month to trim fruit trees, tidy up hedges, cut back ornamental grasses, massacre the roses and shape up the wisteria and clematis. While we have had some dry days already, I have to admit that I don’t get these chores done until this month, so don’t feel bad if you too still need to do a bit of chopping.

Perennials: Be careful this month when you are tromping through the flower beds. The tender new shoots of perennials are starting to pop through and the last thing you want to do is squash them.

Veggie gardens: It’s time to get the veggie garden in shape. Remove any weeds and spread lime, organic fertilizer and compost and till it all together. You will be ready to plant all the cool season crops like potatoes, carrots, peas, radishes, onions, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower — to name just a few. Buy a sheet of “row cover” to protect your babies on the really chilly nights. This is also the time to plant perennial veggies like rhubarb and asparagus.

Small fruits and berries: Blue berries, raspberries, black berries and strawberries are all itching to be planted this month. They are still dormant and will slip into your garden now and never skip a beat. Grapes and Kiwis, currants and gooseberries can also be planted now. Always use some compost and organic starter fertilizer when you are planting new plants.

Fruit trees: Like I mentioned above, this is the consummate month to prune and spray your fruit trees with copper and oil. It is also a perfect time to plant a few new ones as well. Most trees these days are on dwarf or mini-dwarf root stocks that keep them 10-12 feet tall.

Bulbs: Summer blooming bulbs are now in stock, such as dahlias, gladiolas and lilies. Purchase them this month for the best selection, though I would recommend holding off until April to plant them.

Weeds: Don’t let those weeds get ahead of you and go to seed. My favorite weeding tool is the Hula-Hoe. It is quick and efficient. Remove the weeds and get the ground covered immediately with a layer of compost and some Preen and you will be miles ahead of the weeding game.

Educational opportunity: Two options on this front. Come see me at the Everett Home and Garden Show on Friday to Sunday. On Saturday come to the nursery at 10 a.m. to learn about growing roses in the Northwest. Hope to see you at one or both of these events.

Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville and can be reached online at info@sunnysidenursery.net